Fishing report: Big corvina continue to be caught

Some of the best corvina fishing of the year continued last week as fishermen caught large fish from shore and in boats around the south end of the Salton Sea.

The best action continues around Black Rock and Lack Road dike as huge corvina continue to feed on croakers in shallow water.

I had the pleasure of watching Brawley Public Works Director Manuel Aceves achieve a personal best and I think he is hooked on fishing for life, as he caught numerous large corvina with artificial bait from the Lack Road dike.

A 23-pound corvina was caught by Herman Meister of El Centro while fishing with Greg Thornburg of Holtville on May 31. They filled their limits with a 16-pounder and numerous others in the 10-pound range. The two, fishing from a boat around Black Rock, were casting chartreuse Swimbaits and Scampi lures.

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Shore fishermen using mudsuckers at Black Rock on Saturday reported taking numerous limits of large corvina. On Sunday high winds kept many fishermen away but those who fished from shore, including myself, still caught large corvina.

By day's end I had managed to land a limit of 10-pound-plus corvina using orange/black back 4-inch Swimmers. Curtis Carter and Donald Walker of El Centro fished alongside me and hooked numerous big corvina using mudsuckers.

Merrill Inglis, head ranger at Red Hill, reported 18 boats launched Saturday and most limited with corvina to 15 pounds drifting mudsuckers or using live croakers between Black Rock and the steam wells at the end of Lack Road dike.

High winds prevented launching Sunday.

Salton Sea guide Ray Garnett reported the best fishing of the season Monday while drifting live tilapia off the Riviera Keys at Salton City. Garnett and three other fishermen on his boat limited out with 20-corvina that weighed from 12 to 14 pounds. That's over 250 pounds of fish!

If green water doesn't develop in the south end of the Salton Sea this week from the numerous winds, great corvina and croaker fishing should continue unabated.

Fishing in the north end of the Salton Sea has slowed as unproductive green water formed in much of the area.

Please remember that the state Department of Fish and Game has deemed Saturday a free fishing day. A fishing license is not required to fish that day. Only one pole is allowed per person unless a second pole stamp is purchased, and all limits apply. If fishing on the Colorado River, a river stamp is required, as is a striper stamp if fishing for stripers.